Thistimetwohundredyearsago——inthebeginningofJanuary，1666——thoseofourforefatherswhoinhabitedthisgreatandancientcity，tookbreathbetweentheshocksoftwofearfulcalamities:onenotquitepast，althoughitsfuryhadabated;theothertocome。
Withinafewyardsoftheveryspotonwhichweareassembled，sothetraditionruns，thatpainfulanddeadlymalady，theplague，appearedinthelattermonthsof1664;and，thoughnonewvisitor，smotethepeopleofEngland，andespeciallyofhercapital，withaviolenceunknownbefore，inthecourseofthefollowingyear。Thehandofamasterhaspicturedwhathappenedinthosedismalmonths;andinthattruestoffictions，’TheHistoryofthePlagueYear’，Defoeshowsdeath，witheveryaccompanimentofpainandterror，stalkingthroughthenarrowstreetsofoldLondon，andchangingtheirbusyhumintoasilencebrokenonlybythewailingofthemournersoffiftythousanddead;bythewofuldenunciationsandmadprayersoffanatics;andbythemadderyellsofdespairingprofligates。
Butaboutthistimein1666，thedeath—ratehadsunktonearlyitsordinaryamount;acaseofplagueoccurredonlyhereandthere，andtherichercitizenswhohadflownfromthepesthadreturnedtotheirdwellings。Theremnantofthepeoplebegantotoilattheaccustomedroundofduty，orofpleasure;andthestreamofcitylifebidfairtoflowbackalongitsoldbed，withrenewedanduninterruptedvigour。
Thenewlykindledhopewasdeceitful。Thegreatplague，indeed，returnednomore;butwhatithaddonefortheLondoners，thegreatfire，whichbrokeoutintheautumnof1666，didforLondon;and，inSeptemberofthatyear，aheapofashesandtheindestructibleenergyofthepeoplewereallthatremainedofthegloryoffive—sixthsofthecitywithinthewalls。
Ourforefathershadtheirownwaysofaccountingforeachofthesecalamities。Theysubmittedtotheplagueinhumilityandinpenitence，fortheybelievedittobethejudgmentofGod。But，towardsthefiretheywerefuriouslyindignant，interpretingitastheeffectofthemaliceofman，——astheworkoftheRepublicans，orofthePapists，accordingastheirprepossessionsraninfavourofloyaltyorofPuritanism。
Itwould，Ifancy，havefaredbutillwithonewho，standingwhereInowstand，inwhatwasthenathicklypeopledandfashionablepartofLondon，shouldhavebroachedtoourancestorsthedoctrinewhichInowpropoundtoyou——thatalltheirhypotheseswerealikewrong;thattheplaguewasnomore，intheirsense，Divinejudgment，thanthefirewastheworkofanypolitical，orofanyreligious，sect;butthattheywerethemselvestheauthorsofbothplagueandfire，andthattheymustlooktothemselvestopreventtherecurrenceofcalamities，toallappearancesopeculiarlybeyondthereachofhumancontrol——soevidentlytheresultofthewrathofGod，orofthecraftandsubtletyofanenemy。
Andonemaypicturetoone’sselfhowharmoniouslytheholycursingofthePuritanofthatdaywouldhavechimedinwiththeunholycursingandthecracklingwitoftheRochestersandSedleys，andwiththerevilingsofthepoliticalfanatics，ifmyimaginaryplaindealerhadgoneontosaythat，ifthereturnofsuchmisfortuneswereeverrenderedimpossible，itwouldnotbeinvirtueofthevictoryofthefaithofLaud，orofthatofMilton;and，aslittle，bythetriumphofrepublicanism，asbythatofmonarchy。Butthattheonethingneedfulforcompassingthisendwas，thatthepeopleofEnglandshouldsecondtheeffortofaninsignificantcorporation，theestablishmentofwhich，afewyearsbeforetheepochofthegreatplagueandthegreatfire，hadbeenaslittlenoticed，astheywereconspicuous。
Sometwentyyearsbeforetheoutbreakoftheplagueafewcalmandthoughtfulstudentsbandedthemselvestogetherforthepurpose，astheyphrasedit，of\"improvingnaturalknowledge。\"Theendstheyproposedtoattaincannotbestatedmoreclearlythaninthewordsofoneofthefoundersoftheorganization:——
\"Ourbusinesswas（precludingmattersoftheologyandstateaffairs）todiscourseandconsiderofphilosophicalenquiries，andsuchasrelatedthereunto:——asPhysick，Anatomy，Geometry，Astronomy，Navigation，Staticks，Magneticks，Chymicks，Mechanicks，andNaturalExperiments;
withthestateofthesestudiesandtheircultivationathomeandabroad。Wethendiscoursedofthecirculationoftheblood，thevalvesintheveins，thevenaelacteae，thelymphaticvessels，theCopernicanhypothesis，thenatureofcometsandnewstars，thesatellitesofJupiter，theovalshape（asitthenappeared）ofSaturn，thespotsonthesunanditsturningonitsownaxis，theinequalitiesandselenographyofthemoon，theseveralphasesofVenusandMercury，theimprovementoftelescopesandgrindingofglassesforthatpurpose，theweightofair，thepossibilityorimpossibilityofvacuitiesandnature’sabhorrencethereof，theTorricellianexperimentinquicksilver，thedescentofheavybodiesandthedegreeofaccelerationtherein，withdiversotherthingsoflikenature，someofwhichwerethenbutnewdiscoveries，andothersnotsogenerallyknownandembracedasnowtheyare;withotherthingsappertainingtowhathathbeencalledtheNewPhilosophy，whichfromthetimesofGalileoatFlorence，andSirFrancisBacon（LordVerulam）inEngland，hathbeenmuchcultivatedinItaly，France，Germany，andotherpartsabroad，aswellaswithusinEngland。\"
ThelearnedDr。Wallis，writingin1696，narratesinthesewords，whathappenedhalfacenturybefore，orabout1645。TheassociatesmetatOxford，intheroomsofDr。Wilkins，whowasdestinedtobecomeabishop;andsubsequentlycomingtogetherinLondon，theyattractedthenoticeoftheking。AnditisastrangeevidenceofthetasteforknowledgewhichthemostobviouslyworthlessoftheStuartssharedwithhisfatherandgrandfather，thatCharlestheSecondwasnotcontentwithsayingwittythingsabouthisphilosophers，butdidwisethingswithregardtothem。Forhenotonlybestoweduponthemsuchattentionashecouldsparefromhispoodlesandhismistresses，butbeinginhisusualstateofimpecuniosity，beggedforthemoftheDukeofOrmond;
and，thatstepbeingwithouteffect，gavethemChelseaCollege，acharter，andamace:crowninghisfavoursinthebestwaytheycouldbecrowned，byburdeningthemnofurtherwithroyalpatronageorstateinterference。
Thusitwasthatthehalf—dozenyoungmen，studiousofthe\"NewPhilosophy，\"whometinoneanother’slodgingsinOxfordorinLondon，inthemiddleoftheseventeenthcentury，grewinnumericalandinrealstrength，until，inthelatterpart，the\"RoyalSocietyfortheimprovementofNaturalKnowledge\"hadalreadybecomefamous，andhadacquiredaclaimuponthevenerationofEnglishmen，whichithaseversinceretained，astheprincipalfocusofscientificactivityinourislands，andthechiefchampionofthecauseitwasformedtosupport。
ItwasbytheaidoftheRoyalSocietythatNewtonpublishedhis’Principia’。Ifallthebooksintheworld，exceptthePhilosophicalTransactions，weredestroyed，itissafetosaythatthefoundationsofphysicalsciencewouldremainunshaken，andthatthevastintellectualprogressofthelasttwocenturieswouldbelargely，thoughincompletely，recorded。Norhaveanysignsofhaltingorofdecrepitudemanifestedthemselvesinourowntimes。AsinDr。Wallis’sdays，sointhese，\"ourbusinessis，precludingtheologyandstateaffairs，todiscourseandconsiderofphilosophicalenquiries。\"Butour\"Mathematick\"isonewhichNewtonwouldhavetogotoschooltolearn;our\"Staticks，Mechanicks，Magneticks，Chymicks，andNaturalExperiments\"constituteamassofphysicalandchemicalknowledge，aglimpseatwhichwouldcompensateGalileoforthedoingsofascoreofinquisitorialcardinals;our\"Physick\"and\"Anatomy\"haveembracedsuchinfinitevarietiesofbeing，havelaidopensuchnewworldsintimeandspace，havegrappled，notunsuccessfully，withsuchcomplexproblems，thattheeyesofVesaliusandofHarveymightbedazzledbythesightofthetreethathasgrownoutoftheirgrainofmustardseed。
Thefactisperhapsrathertoomuch，thantoolittle，forceduponone’snotice，nowadays，thatallthismarvellousintellectualgrowthhasanolesswonderfulexpressioninpracticallife;andthat，inthisrespect，ifinnoother，themovementsymbolizedbytheprogressoftheRoyalSocietystandswithoutaparallelinthehistoryofmankind。
Aseriesofvolumesasbulkyasthe’TransactionsoftheRoyalSociety’
mightpossiblybefilledwiththesubtlespeculationsoftheSchoolmen;
notimprobably，theobtainingamasteryovertheproductsofmediaevalthoughtmightnecessitateanevengreaterexpenditureoftimeandofenergythantheacquirementofthe\"NewPhilosophy\";butthoughsuchworkengrossedthebestintellectsofEuropeforalongertimethanhaselapsedsincethegreatfire，itseffectswere\"writinwater，\"sofarasoursocialstateisconcerned。
Ontheotherhand，ifthenoblefirstPresidentoftheRoyalSocietycouldrevisittheupperairandoncemoregladdenhiseyeswithasightofthefamiliarmace，hewouldfindhimselfinthemidstofamaterialcivilizationmoredifferentfromthatofhisday，thanthatoftheseventeenthwasfromthatofthefirstcentury。AndifLordBrouncker’snativesagacityhadnotdesertedhisghost，hewouldneednolongreflectiontodiscoverthatallthesegreatships，theserailways，thesetelegraphs，thesefactories，theseprinting—presses，withoutwhichthewholefabricofmodernEnglishsocietywouldcollapseintoamassofstagnantandstarvingpauperism，——thatallthesepillarsofourStatearebuttheripples，andthebubblesuponthesurfaceofthatgreatspiritualstream，thespringsofwhich，only，heandhisfellowswereprivilegedtosee;andseeing，torecogniseasthatwhichitbehovedthemaboveallthingstokeeppureandundefiled。
Itmaynotbetoogreataflightofimaginationtoconceiveournoble’revenant’notforgetfulofthegreattroublesofhisownday，andanxioustoknowhowoftenLondonhadbeenburneddownsincehistime，andhowoftentheplaguehadcarriedoffitsthousands。Hewouldhavetolearnthat，althoughLondoncontainstenfoldtheinflammablematterthatitdidin1666;though，notcontentwithfillingourroomswithwoodworkandlightdraperies，wemustneedsleadinflammableandexplosivegasesintoeverycornerofourstreetsandhouses，weneverallowevenastreettoburndown。Andifheaskedhowthishadcomeabout，weshouldhavetoexplainthattheimprovementofnaturalknowledgehasfurnisheduswithdozensofmachinesforthrowingwateruponfires，anyoneofwhichwouldhavefurnishedtheingeniousMr。
Hooke，thefirst\"curatorandexperimenter\"oftheRoyalSociety，withamplematerialsfordiscoursebeforehalfadozenmeetingsofthatbody;andthat，tosaytruth，exceptfortheprogressofnaturalknowledge，weshouldnothavebeenabletomakeeventhetoolsbywhichthesemachinesareconstructed。And，further，itwouldbenecessarytoadd，thatalthoughseverefiressometimesoccurandinflictgreatdamage，thelossisverygenerallycompensatedbysocieties，theoperationsofwhichhavebeenrenderedpossibleonlybytheprogressofnaturalknowledgeinthedirectionofmathematics，andtheaccumulationofwealthinvirtueofothernaturalknowledge。
Buttheplague？MyLordBrouncker’sobservationwouldnot，Ifear，leadhimtothinkthatEnglishmenofthenineteenthcenturyarepurerinlife，ormoreferventinreligiousfaith，thanthegenerationwhichcouldproduceaBoyle，anEvelyn，andaMilton。Hemightfindthemudofsocietyatthebottom，insteadofatthetop，butIfearthatthesumtotalwouldbeadeservingofswiftjudgmentasatthetimeoftheRestoration。Anditwouldbeourdutytoexplainoncemore，andthistimenotwithoutshame，thatwehavenoreasontobelievethatitistheimprovementofourfaith，northatofourmorals，whichkeepstheplaguefromourcity;but，again，thatitistheimprovementofournaturalknowledge。
Wehavelearnedthatpestilenceswillonlytakeuptheirabodeamongthosewhohavepreparedunsweptandungarnishedresidencesforthem。
Theircitiesmusthavenarrow，unwateredstreets，foulwithaccumulatedgarbage。Theirhousesmustbeill—drained，ill—lighted，ill—ventilated。Theirsubjectsmustbeill—washed，ill—fed，ill—clothed。TheLondonof1665wassuchacity。ThecitiesoftheEast，whereplaguehasanenduringdwelling，aresuchcities。We，inlatertimes，havelearnedsomewhatofNature，andpartlyobeyher。
Becauseofthispartialimprovementofournaturalknowledgeandofthatfractionalobedience，wehavenoplague;becausethatknowledgeisstillveryimperfectandthatobedienceyetincomplete，typhusisourcompanionandcholeraourvisitor。Butitisnotpresumptuoustoexpressthebeliefthat，whenourknowledgeismorecompleteandourobediencetheexpressionofourknowledge，Londonwillcounthercenturiesoffreedomfromtyphusandcholera，asshenowgratefullyreckonshertwohundredyearsofignoranceofthatplaguewhichswoopeduponherthriceinthefirsthalfoftheseventeenthcentury。
Surelythereisnothingintheseexplanationswhichisnotfullyborneoutbythefacts？Surely，theprinciplesinvolvedinthemarenowadmittedamongthefixedbeliefsofallthinkingmen？Surely，itistruethatourcountrymenarelesssubjecttofire，famine，pestilence，andalltheevilswhichresultfromawantofcommandoveranddueanticipationofthecourseofNature，thanwerethecountrymenofMilton;andhealth，wealth，andwell—beingaremoreabundantwithusthanwiththem？ButnolesscertainlyisthedifferenceduetotheimprovementofourknowledgeofNature，andtheextenttowhichthatimprovedknowledgehasbeenincorporatedwiththehouseholdwordsofmen，andhassuppliedthespringsoftheirdailyactions。
Grantingforamoment，then，thetruthofthatwhichthedepreciatorsofnaturalknowledgearesofondofurging，thatitsimprovementcanonlyaddtotheresourcesofourmaterialcivilization;admittingittobepossiblethatthefoundersoftheRoyalSocietythemselveslookedfornootherrewardthanthis，IcannotconfessthatIwasguiltyofexaggerationwhenIhinted，thattohimwhohadthegiftofdistinguishingbetweenprominenteventsandimportantevents，theoriginofacombinedeffortonthepartofmankindtoimprovenaturalknowledgemighthaveloomedlargerthanthePlagueandhaveoutshonetheglareoftheFire;asasomethingfraughtwithawealthofbeneficencetomankind，incomparisonwithwhichthedamagedonebythoseghastlyevilswouldshrinkintoinsignificance。